Due to the most exciting Superbowl in recent years I managed to burn some United miles just a few hours before the mega devaluation massacre! This is what I managed:

I burned 70,000 miles for Detroit to Frankfurt on Lufthansa (in Business), then to Bangkok on Thai Airways on the A380 (in First), then to Hong Kong on Thai (in First). I have eight hours in Frankfurt and about 9 hours to get my massage in that groovy Thai Airways F Lounge. I have 5 nights in Hong Kong and will be asking later on for hotel recommendations and things to do. This is a treat to myself in October to keep enhancing my mega credibility as a true expert in this space lol! I am assuming two weeks before the trip I can keep checking to see if I can get me on to Lufthansa First Class?

I then burned 67,500 American Miles to fly Hong Kong to LAX on Cathay Pacific (in First) and then (gasp) managed to get me back to Detroit with two US Air flights in First (connecting in Phoenix). I almost booked me a UA award on the way back through Seoul and Taipei on Thai, Asiana and EVA, all on Business but I changed my mind and canceled. Why? Because I have way too many American Airlines miles (even more now with the US Air merger; I needed to jump on the coming devaluation in this one!) Thanks to Jeff at Canadian Kilometers for alerting me to that available seat in Cathay Pacific First!

I also got some news on my Maui trip as Alaska Airlines agreed to put all four of us in the flights from Honolulu to San Jose (instead of Oakland). The problem is we have only one hour and 3 minutes connection in Honolulu after we land on inter island Island Air flights (separate award with United miles!) from Maui to make our flights to San Jose. Hmmm, what do you think? If we miss our flight we could be in a lot of hurt…

This pic of my kids is from our first trip to Hawaii: The Big Island back in 2003. It is one of my favorites.

I don’t think much of Marriott but in hotel promos they do really well by continuing this MegaBonus promo for a very long time. Stay two times between February 1 and April 30, 2014 and get a free night at a category 1-4 hotels. You can register for it here. Per Loyalty Traveler in this post: “Before you register, try calling Marriott Rewards and see if they will bump your offer up to Category 1-5 hotel certificates.”

Another FlyerTalker broke the news that Wyndham Rewards again raised (doubled!) the number of points required to convert to miles. This is how this company operates. TBB goes out of his way to avoid giving a single dollar to companies like this!

United dehubs Cleveland. Dan is pissed. I would be too. He adds: “CEO Jeff Smisek has run two proud airlines into the ground. He’s now infamous for promising passengers changes that they’re going to like while continuing to erode passenger loyalty and operate at net losses. Can anyone explain how he is still at the helm?” I wonder this too! But wait, a little later Dan unleashes on Smisek!

Before you register, try calling Marriott Rewards and see if they will bump your offer up to Category 1-5 hotel certificates. – See more at: http://boardingarea.com/loyaltytraveler/2014/02/01/marriott-rewards-megabonus-feb-1-april-30-2014/#sthash.aDe8bcm7.dpuf

The day I got my learner’s permit, I went around a corner and hit the clutch instead of the brake, and went right through a wooden fence. My dad drove home, then we came back with new 2x4s and fixed the fence. How’s your son doing so far?

We’re losing our direct flight to Cleveland. I used it once to SDC to an earlier flight and get out of town before a blizzard shut the local airport completely. Stayed at a HoJo near the airport, and made it to my destination the next morning. So, thanks Cleveland. I’ll miss CLE’s empty terminals (few but available outlets!) and weird and disappointing burrito place.

Smisek isn’t running United into the ground as much as he’s running it to profitability. 4Q profit, y’all. He is running the customer service operations at United into the ground, because he’s figured out that he’s selling interchangeable widgets, and one can now buy widgets in this country from three big suppliers and three or four boutique widget suppliers. I don’t know if Smisek has a long-term vision for the company beyond widget delivery, but I’m not concerned about that. I no longer have emotional attachments to widgets and widget suppliers.

Saverocity has become the first blog/collection I read in my RSS feed in the morning. They’re a sharp bunch of knives in the points blogging drawer. I confess I read their posts before I read FM or TBB.

Son bumped the car in front of him at gas station. Old lady got out, looked at it and got our car’s license plate. No insurance info. I think she did it just to scare him. Hope we do not get a call 🙂
So far he is doing fine. Wants to start driving to school, we told him hey not so fast Mister!
Insurance invoice is here, I am terrified to open it!
It’s a new reality, down to just 3 huge airlines now. Widgetizing in full mode. Some mega spend/road warriors will get some bennies, the rest get the shaft.
What, you read Saverocity blogs before mine. Ok then, that’s cool 🙂
Great FT thread link, I bookmarked it, thanks a lot!

I wanted to be the twelfth man today but you went on a commenting spree and knocked me to 13th! Anyway I’m cheering for the AA Executive card again as I confirmed today that it is churnable. Approved for my second one within 3 weeks today! And getting your fee back is much easier on this one than the AMEX plat.

Hey Ramsey, nothing really new but today Point Me To The Plane quotes Frequent Business Traveler that ex-TWAers are pressing suit against AA. We heard rumblings of this some weeks ago and it looks like it is moving along.